The present invention relates to a bank note cartridge identification system for a bank note dispensing machine such as an automatic teller machine and a bank note cartridge or cartridges which are to be fitted thereto, and in particular relates to such a bank note cartridge identification system which can keep good track of various bank note cartridges and can check that the correct cartridge or cartridges is fitted to such a bank note dispensing machine, at all times.
Conventionally, bank note dispensing machines such as automatic teller machines and the like are replenished with bank notes by being charged with cartridges which are themselves beforehand loaded with bank notes at an operations center or some such place where security is excellent. And typically in fact such a bank note dispensing machine is charged with a different cartridge for each denomination of notes which it dispenses. However, since a conventional such cartridge for bank notes does not show on its outside the various details relating to it, such as how many bank notes it is currently charged with, their denomination, and for what automatic bank note dispensing machine (out of a plurality of automatic bank note dispensing machines typically handled by the operations center) said bank note cartridge is destined, the problem arises that, when various bank note cartridges are being distributed from such an operations center for being charged to various different automatic bank note dispensing machines, it is difficult to identify which cartridge to charge to which bank note dispensing machine, and mistakes are liable to occur with the charging process. Such mistakes can lead to serious lapses of security, and provide a fertile ground for fraud, waste, and abuse. Further, if a cartridge should happen to be lost in transit, as after being removed from a bank note dispensing machine, it cannot be readily determined which cartridge has been lost.